Deering & Down – Break This Record (Diamond D Records).
This is Deering & Down’s third album and having based themselves in Tennessee since 2004, it has a flavour of that states most famous town, Memphis. They have amassed themselves a formidable band whose members include Rick Steff on keyboards (ex- Cat Power, George Thorogood, Gin Blossoms) and drummer Kurt Ruleman (ex-San The Sham). I was certainly taken aback by Canadian vocalist Lahna Deering’ squeaky tones on the opening track, Finally Found The One. It turns gritty rather than squeaky the further into the song we go. It has a rag tag homemade sound and doesn’t really reach its initial promise. Whatcha’ Thinkin’ Of has a certain punk feel to it. Her voice is better suited here but it does get a bit of getting used to. There’s a better base to this. Can’t Wait is mid paced rock and Richard Of Los Angeles is a rock ballad with the obligatory big chorus. Unfortunately, the stadium rock guitar solo from Rev Neil Down doesn’t quite work.
Sad Love is slow and plodding and Wonder Who’s Callin’ doesn’t offer anything too exciting either. Velvet On Stone is a slow country ballad and the singer has a Dolly Parton tone to her voce but don’t be fooled by the childlike quality, there is a lot of power in there. Sugar is a sleazy, grungy blues that works well and Cow Cow Girl is a fractured alt.country that is one of the best songs on the album. Deering turns in a Stevie Nicks style vocal on Oh So Good before giving us another slow song in the form of Abbey. Perhaps they have recorded too many slower songs for this album than is absolutely necessary. There is nothing wrong with this one but it is just not exceptional. Bessie’s Big Way is the closing track and this is unashamed country although I originally thought that it was going to be about Bessie Smith. It’s a guitar instrumental with enough small (deliberate) errors to give it that homemade feel.
This may be a slow burner and there are certainly enough plus marks to give hope for the future.
http://www.deeringanddown.com/
David Blue.
This is Deering & Down’s third album and having based themselves in Tennessee since 2004, it has a flavour of that states most famous town, Memphis. They have amassed themselves a formidable band whose members include Rick Steff on keyboards (ex- Cat Power, George Thorogood, Gin Blossoms) and drummer Kurt Ruleman (ex-San The Sham). I was certainly taken aback by Canadian vocalist Lahna Deering’ squeaky tones on the opening track, Finally Found The One. It turns gritty rather than squeaky the further into the song we go. It has a rag tag homemade sound and doesn’t really reach its initial promise. Whatcha’ Thinkin’ Of has a certain punk feel to it. Her voice is better suited here but it does get a bit of getting used to. There’s a better base to this. Can’t Wait is mid paced rock and Richard Of Los Angeles is a rock ballad with the obligatory big chorus. Unfortunately, the stadium rock guitar solo from Rev Neil Down doesn’t quite work.
Sad Love is slow and plodding and Wonder Who’s Callin’ doesn’t offer anything too exciting either. Velvet On Stone is a slow country ballad and the singer has a Dolly Parton tone to her voce but don’t be fooled by the childlike quality, there is a lot of power in there. Sugar is a sleazy, grungy blues that works well and Cow Cow Girl is a fractured alt.country that is one of the best songs on the album. Deering turns in a Stevie Nicks style vocal on Oh So Good before giving us another slow song in the form of Abbey. Perhaps they have recorded too many slower songs for this album than is absolutely necessary. There is nothing wrong with this one but it is just not exceptional. Bessie’s Big Way is the closing track and this is unashamed country although I originally thought that it was going to be about Bessie Smith. It’s a guitar instrumental with enough small (deliberate) errors to give it that homemade feel.
This may be a slow burner and there are certainly enough plus marks to give hope for the future.
http://www.deeringanddown.com/
David Blue.
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